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the picking of sth
the picking of sth 表示采摘或采集某物的动作，picking 是不可数名词；也可表示挑选、选择。
The picking of berries took the whole afternoon.
采摘浆果花了整个下午。
选择；挑选
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
选择；挑选
the act of choosing; selection
The picking of berries took the whole afternoon.
采摘浆果花了整个下午。
采摘水果的集会。
A gathering to pick fruit.
他人选剩的物品；残羹剩饭。
Items remaining after others have selected the best; scraps, as of food.
收入或其他收益,尤其指以不道德或令人反感的方式获得的。
Income or other gains, especially if obtained in an unscrupulous or objectionable manner.
被挑选或拔出的东西。
Something picked or pulled out.
The picking of apples in the orchard is hard work.
在果园里采摘苹果是艰苦的工作。
She has a good eye for the picking of ripe strawberries.
她挑选成熟草莓的眼光很好。
The workers were paid by the basket for their cotton picking.
工人们按篮子计酬进行棉花采摘。
the picking of sth 表示采摘或采集某物的动作，picking 是不可数名词；也可表示挑选、选择。
The picking of berries took the whole afternoon.
采摘浆果花了整个下午。
pickings 常用复数，指别人挑完后剩下来的东西、残渣或残余利益。
The pickings from the old warehouse were not worth much.
旧仓库里挑剩下的东西不值什么钱。
pickings 也可指收入或利益，常暗示这些收益来路不太正当或令人反感。
There are good pickings for anyone who can fix computers here.
在这里，会修电脑的人能捞到不少好处。
Not this
You can have your picking of any color.
Use this
You can have your pick of any color.
这里要表示“选择权/可选的东西”，应用名词 pick（选择；挑选出的东西），而 picking 作名词通常指“挑选的动作”或“采摘”，不表示“可选择的东西”。这是名词 pick 与动名词 picking 的用法混淆。
Not this
The picking from the apple tree were sold at the market.
Use this
The pickings from the apple tree were sold at the market.
当 picking 表示“采摘下来的东西、收获物”时，常用复数形式 pickings，并作为复数可数名词使用。因此主语应为 pickings，谓语用 were，而不是单数 picking。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
挑三拣四；精挑细选
Stop picking and choosing and just decide.
别再挑三拣四了，赶紧决定吧。
微薄的收获；寥寥无几的选择
There were slim pickings at the flea market today.
今天跳蚤市场上没什么好东西。
轻而易举的收获；容易得手的目标
The unguarded orchard was easy pickings for the thieves.
无人看守的果园是小偷容易得手的目标。
丰厚的收益；丰富的外快
Freelance designers found rich pickings in the startup boom.
在创业热潮中，自由设计师们赚得盆满钵满。
挑肥拣瘦；只挑最好的
The committee was accused of cherry picking the data to support its claim.
该委员会被指责只挑选数据来支持其说法。
容易得手的事物；轻而易举的收获
The tourists' wallets were easy pickings for the pickpockets.
游客的钱包是小偷容易得手的目标。
有限的选择；寥寥无几的收获
It was slim pickings at the yard sale this morning.
今天早上的庭院旧货出售没什么可挑的。
挑三拣四；精挑细选
Stop picking and choosing and just make a decision.
别再挑三拣四了，赶紧做决定吧。
Use picking naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
想象小鸟在地上pick（啄）食后的残渣，剩下的零星碎屑就是picking：挑剩的、捡漏所得。
语域：informal 常见场景：news reporting、casual conversation、business dealings picking 作此义时通常用复数 pickings，多用于非正式场合（如新闻报道、日常交谈），表示“收益、油水”，常含贬义或投机意味。
作为名词时，通常不可数，表示采摘的行为或收获量。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY, WORDNET.